Winning Words 6/15/12
“I believe that everything happens for a reason.  Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”  (Marilyn Monroe)  “Norma Jean” had a reputation as a dumb blonde, but today’s quote reveals some thinking.  As an unwanted child, she was raised in foster homes.  She made the best of a lot of bad things.  The end of her life was hardly better than the beginning, but God “understands” situations.    ;-)  Jack

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  When we think of the bad times in our lives, we understand they are but stepping stones to a greater understanding of the love and Grace God has for us.  He never leaves us.  We always get through with His help.////FROM JACK:  In my "pile" of quotes, I have this one by someone unknown.  "The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way we use them."

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  As Albert Einstein opined, "In the midst of difficulty lies opportunity"...and Marilyn M. had plenty of both!  In retrospect, it seems quite a tragic life, and one of the things missing was a Faith in God. But she did read avidly, and I'm sure pondered life's conundrums...A story is told of Billy Graham contacting her to talk to her, and she replied, "I don't need your Jesus." Whether that is accurate, I'm not sure!  But that doesn't take away from the insight in her quote today: We often see the "reason" for things that happen, after the fact!////FROM JACK:  My Jesus, BG's Jesus and NJ's Jesus are not necessarily the same.  We each walk our own path.  God understands.

FROM JE IN MICHIGAN:  I love this one. I did not know Marilyn Monroe said this. Father Prus, a Catholic priest I grew up with from Royal Oak Shrine, (he’s now at St. James in Ferndale) ALWAYS said this. This past Lent I bought a wooden sign with the first part….”Everything happens for a reason” on it and sent it to him.  I believe this. It also goes along with, “We are not in charge.” We spend so much time trying to make things happen, we do not make things happen, HE does. It is when we give our days over to HIM that we are free and we are following HIM.////FROM JACK:  I found Winning Words within your response.  "We spend so much time trying to make things happen, we do not make things happen."  If we would just relax and let God be God!


FROM CWR IN B'MORE:  ......sorry.  I don't believe that one.  I believe that "Sh-T Happens" sometimes for no reason whatsoever. It just does. That's the uncertainty in life.   Cheers.     CR    ps:  I see God as a Companion, not a Puppeteer.   Unamuno, "The Tragic Sense of Life" is my hero.////FROM JACK:  Marilyn might agree with you.  But, as the saying goes..."Everyone has to walk in their own moccasins," or something like that.  BTW, I wonder if Jesus wore sandals, moccasins, or went barefoot?

FROM SAINT JAMES:  I believe that when good things fall apart, we can grow through the process of putting them back together with God's help.  I try not to look at such events as an end, but a beginning of a new experience.////FROM JACK:  A true optimistic viewpoint..."It's not the end.  It's the beginning."

FROM CL IN MICHIGAN:  Amen, Amen and Amen////FROM JACK:  I take it that you agree.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Marilyn had a good philosophy then until the end of her life.  Too bad that she didn't follow through.////FROM JACK:  We are the product of what goes on in our life, and how we react.  God's judgment is based on that.  Marilyn's life had its ups and downs.

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  I don't think Norma Jean was dumb...naive maybe...but not dumb. ////FROM JACK:  She was "used" and abused.

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  What an interesting quote. Normally we grieve when good things fall apart and don't put it on a continuum. I do believe I should think of my church like this--simply think of it as a good church that seems to be falling apart so it all can come together better. I wonder what led her to think in this way--what good thing did she see fall apart. A curious statement but I think she's on to something here. Thanks for e-mailing it out.////FROM JACK:  The world's idea of success is not necessarily the same as God's opinion.

FROM JT IN ILLINOIS:  How true this is!  I spent three days this week in the hospital following a "tiny" heart attack.  They tell me I'm, once again, very lucky!  Or maybe the man upstairs is watching over me? ////FROM JACK:  "The man upstairs," is closer than you think.  He's also in  hospital rooms.

FROM LGM IN MICHIGAN:  Once you learn how to be happy, you won't tolerate being around people that make you feel anything less.////FROM JACK:  Sometimes you have to reach out and teach another how to look at the sunnyside of life.